Inheriting a SECRET (Corrigan & Co. #7)(37)

“Let me in, Brayden.”

“Why?”

“I’m not going to stand in the f*cking hall discussing it. Move, or I’ll move you.”

I’m not stupid enough to go up against him, so I step aside and let him in, closing the door behind us. He looks around, and takes in everyone, finally focusing on Stella.

“I’m here to help.”

“You’re going against your grandmother?”

He shakes his head. “No. I can’t do that. But Nate and Aiden are my best friends, and I need to help them.”

“What about Darcy? She’s one of your best friends, too. Before you got married, and Nate got Jade, the four of you were inseparable. Or did you conveniently forget that? Or forget your wife?”

“I didn’t forget. My gram is family, though, and I owe her too much to stand against her.”

“I understand the need to choose family over everything, man, but I almost lost Stella because of it. Are you willing to lose Reina?” Kace asks him.

“I don’t have a choice.”

“Yeah, you do,” Stella reminds him. “We all have choices. I’ve made some pretty bad ones, and some awesome ones, too, but they were mine to make. You’re choosing wrong.”

“Maybe I am, but like you’ve insisted on pointing out, it’s my choice to make. Reina will forgive me, or she won’t. I know my friends will—they’ll understand. Now, what can I do to help?”

They have a staring contest for at least a full minute before Stella finally nods. “I need to work with Jenysis to distract the guards. While we’re doing that, the rest of you will go to the dungeon. You know how to use Ainsley’s gadgets, so you can get them out.”

“Who here knows how to shoot a gun?”

Everyone in the room raises their hands. I’m a little surprised that the band guys know, but then again, if they’re around the women so much, they probably have to be prepared. “We can get guns, if that was going to be your next question,” I offer.

“Thanks. Now how is this going to go down? I mean, Stella can definitely bombshell herself up, but Jensysis? I mean, no offense, but you come off as a little, well, uptight.”

“I can be sexy,” she says, her eyes flashing.

“You’re already sexy, babe,” Wayne tells her.

“No one asked you, you tosser.”

“Time out, you too. Keep it in your pants for once, Wayne. And Jenysis, you need to learn to take a compliment when it’s given.”

“He’s degrading me.”

“Nah, he’s just being Wayne. He doesn’t mean any harm,” Stella tells her.

“Back to business. Stell and Jenysis will distract the guards, but who’s going to distract the Queen, Steven, and Derrick?”

“Jessica and Alex,” Stella informs him. “They’re going to ask to talk to them about the island and all of the different customs.”

“They’re in on this, too? Miles is going to freak.”

“Too bad. Choices, Matt, choices.”

“I can’t help you with Darcy. Just with this.”

“Understood. I don’t agree with it, but I know that if Reina isn’t enough to change your mind, nothing I saw will change it either. Now, let’s get this all worked out.”

I sit back and let them plan, interjecting with pieces of information when they need them. It’s pretty amazing to watch them work. Between Matt and Stella, every possible problem is uncovered and a plan is put in place. Once everything is ironed out, we go our separate ways until tomorrow. Noah is going to slip guns to everyone over the next 24 hours, and Storyside now has a part to play as well. All I can do is hope that this goes off without one of us getting killed.





Chapter 14


Darcy

Being home, but not being able to go home, is a strange situation, even for me. I’m staying with Zack’s sister, Sierra, who recently moved to Las Vegas. I didn’t want to involve her, but everyone thought it would be best. No one would know to look for me with her, and she’s excited that she gets to help.

“This is so cool. I mean, it would be cooler if it was official Society help, but this is great, too.”

“I appreciate it, Sierra, I really do.”

“But you need me to back off a little, right? I know I’m being kind of overwhelming. It’s just that ever since I learned about all of you, I keep hoping they’ll be an opening or something.”

“There may be ten openings once this is all said and done.”

“I don’t believe that. The mentors would be crazy to fire all of you.”

“Everyone is replaceable. So maybe you’ll get your shot after all.”

“I wouldn’t want it like that.”

“You’d make a good agent. I’d be okay with you taking my spot.”

“Really?” she asks, with a raised eyebrow.

“Well, not exactly okay with it, but I’d rather it be someone I know wants it and would do a good job, then some of the other women I’ve seen try and go through training.”

“They didn’t really want it?”

“No. They wanted the glory, or the prestige. Our job is about way more than that, and trust me, it’s rarely glamorous. Anyone who wasn’t in training for the right reasons was quickly weeded out.”